Aquiring equipment/ gear - scout only garage sale?

[LauraT7 13]

I had this idea - and wanted to run it by you guys and see if we could pick the faults out of it.....

 

I have known that many troops, including ours, have a "uniform bank" of gently used, outgrown uniform parts that boys can borrow or use.

 

But there is also a need for alot of non-uniform clothing and personal gear that often becomes VERY expensive - especially as boys grow and scouts and scouters establish specfic needs, likes and dislikes in gear.

 

One of the big problems with giving stuff away, or donating it to the troop is a small (for our troop, at least) circle of people to pull from, and related to this, is that there are no 'hand me downs' or out grown, servicable uniforms and gear for the older/ larger boys and adults. They are forced to buy new, while the younger, smaller boys get a big break.

 

My idea would be to have an area 'SCOUT' garage sale - each person, or troop, gets a table or booth, (Kind of like a flea market or craft fair)and they put out and sell ONLY scout and outdoor/ camping related gear. No 'general' merchandise. If it can't be used in scouting, it doesn't come in.

 

this would allow people to find and purchase a wide variety of gently used stuff at reasonable prices, and for those older boys and adults, they can actually MAKE some cash with which to buy things they need without always being on the short end.

 

i would also think that this would put out there lots of stuff that would not normally be 'donated' because of it's original cost or current value. how many people have bought a piece of equipment and later decided that it wasn't for them - so it sits unused?

 

I am an avid garage saler - both having garage sales and shopping them. The way my son and his friends grow - I often see perfectly good stuff - like hiking boots, water shoes, thermal gear, backpacks, tents, bike accessories, bike helmets, sit unsold, or sold for practically nothing, for lack of the right buyer.

 

What I'm picturing is a targeted garage sale - specific to Scouts and campers.

 

Of course, we could all list our stuff on E-bay - but not everyone is an internet shopper, you can't try things on, and there's shipping & fees to pay....

 

Do you think this would work? Say within a town or as a district event?

 

i could see doing it a couple of ways -

 

First and easiest - would be to give each small group, troop or family, a table - and let them sell their own stuff and collect their own money. Like a fair, a small space fee could pay for advertising, supplies, etc.

 

It could possibly even be a fundraiser for the troop that organised it or C/O that sponsors the event?

 

another option would have to be a smaller group of sellers - less people or troops bringing things in, perhaps one or two troops could do this - but have departmentalized sales areas - all footwear over there, all cooking gear somewhere else, all backpacks in one area, sleeping bags and tents in another. (this would be easier to shop and possibly sell more, but tagging & tracking would be a huge headache, depending on how the money was handled)

 

_______________-

 

Can you guys brainstorm this with me?

 

What pitfalls do you see?

 

What ideas would you add?

 

Do you think this is a good idea/ or a really bad one?

 

Suggestions and comments please?

 

laura

 

[Fat Old Guy 11]

I have seen events like this and I know the pitfalls and I also have ideas about how to market and run one to make it a success. However, I won't post them because you find little of merit in anything that I post.

[hops_scout 9]

Laura, I think that is a good idea. If we get anymore responses, people may be able to help and make it a bigger hit!

 

FOG ---nevermind wont go there

[NWScouter 9]

We had open invite to bring any gear you wanted to sell to the Courts of Honor. If any showed up we would set a table in the corner of the fellowship hall and during the treats afterwards the selling would go on.

[frank10 12]

Laura: not sure if I can claim to have a brain storm, but I'll try for more than a foggy day.

 

My other hobby is touring on our motorcycle ('94 Honda Goldwing with over 100,000 miles). At most of the motorcycle events there is an area set aside for a "Swap meet". Anyone registered at the event can lay out a blanket and sell what ever motorcycle items they may have. Works well for our events...

 

Now I can see a few problems translating that to scouting.

1) adults selling to (or buying from)youth members could be a conflict of interest. Scouts are used to Scouters looking out for their best interest but if they are on the other side of the deal I could see a problem. May be set a rule, no business with out a Scouter from the youths troop. Could also do it at an adult only event (round table, district dinner or such).

 

2) If youth members are involved I'd be uncomfortable with the amount of cash floating around at an event. The way it is some of my scouts already bring way too much cash to camp. Again, requiring a Scouter from the scouts unit to oversee the transactions could solve this.

 

3) transportation - I have enough trouble hauling the gear they need for the event.

 

4) hate to think it, but some might be tempted to sell items they don't own. Or items mom might not want sold.

 

some ideas that might make it work...

 

-Set it up for parents night at camp.

-Set up a consignment shop at camp.

-Standardize pricing (our uniform bank buys and sells uniform shirts and pants for $5 each. Makes scouts want to bring in their old parts.)

-Now that you bring it up, I wonder if a special one day swap meet / tagsale might work out better than combining it with a camporee or Klonkike.

-How about a want ad sheet? (charge two bits to place an ad?).

- "for sale" board at local scout shop.

 

Thanks for bringing the topic up. I may address it at the next roundtable.

[hops_scout 9]

Come on, more people have got to have ideas:)

[Eamonn 61]

I do like the idea. I thought at first that maybe a page in the Council Newspaper would be a good idea, but the people who need to see it wouldn't in our council it only goes to the adults. The OA paper has a bigger impact on the youth members. But do our youth members pay for their own uniforms or equipment? In my case I know that OJ thinks money is no big deal.

We do have a Mall Show each year this would be a great place for some kind of a set up. Not sure how it would work unless everyone donated the stuff and maybe the money was used for some sort of good turn.

It used to be in our house that as I hit middle age spread OJ would "Borrow" my stuff but he is now bigger then I am. So we tend to give our old stuff to people who we know are in need of it. Just this month there was a Scouting family that had a house fire, we kicked in a few bucks to outfit the Lad in a new uniform and I had a sleeping bag which had been a gift that was never used so we got rid of that. OJ has a new super duper backpack that cost an arm and a leg so he gave his old one which the old district chair had given to him.

Eamonn

[LauraT7 13]

Eamon,

 

I think you are right - the key is getting the word out to the people who need it the most - and those probably aren't the real active scout/ scouter families that get council news etc. Heck, most of the parents of the boys in our troop only have a vague idea that our concil office is in Rockford - many boys go completely through scouts without ever seeing the council office - it's too far away. I've only been there once myself - and that was because I had another appointment in that town that day.

 

You need the info to get to the boys WITH the cooperation of their parents to buy/sell stuff. Few of the boys in our area actually have cash money they make decisions with.

 

I think the 'swap-meet' idea is more like what I was thinking of. If a boy sells Mom's sleeping bag - or spends more than mom and dad want him too - then I think that's more of a parental problem - not our problem. Belive me - Jon isn't heading out somewhere with equipment unless I know why! and he'd never dream of selling my treasured cozy sleeping bag - if he did - I'd take his, until he could buy me a new one! LOL!

 

If boys are selling ON THEIR OWN - I could maybe see a problem with the amount of cash being handled. But I don't really see that many boys who would be left on their own to run their own sales. I'd think we would require a parent or scouter to be around.

 

Another idea would be to print "scout bucks" so that real cash was not handled by the boys. One cashier station; people buy 'scout bucks' there and cash in any unused 'scout bucks' as they leave. this would lend itself, if the event was big enough, to have a refreshment stand, or for unredeemed 'scout bucks' to be donations to the troop or group sponsoring the event. You would have to put a limit on how long the 'scout bucks' were redeemable - or they'd be turning up for months....

 

Our district uses 'scout bucks' which have no monetary value, but are awarded for troop participation in roundtable and other events. at the end of the year, those 'scout bucks' can be turned in to 'buy' donated items, training materials, etc for your troop.

 

I could see doing this in combination with a district event / roundtable or such - but I don't think it would attract the parents (or their $) of the boys that REALLY NEED the equipment(ie:the newer less active families) I also know that in our district, our roundtable location is already pressed to the limit for space and time. They are currently shopping for a new location. I also think it might distract from events such as Klondike, or a district camporee. Though it could possible be done in conjunction with something like our Merit Badge opportunity days.

 

I'm thinking that for us, a better set-up would be to run it as its OWN event - like all day on a Sat - or maybe ADVERTISE it heavily at roundtable, training events or the council paper, etc.

 

Any more ideas out there?

 

laura

[hops_scout 9]

Laura, you've got some good ideas I think. Our troop already uses scout bucks which are given out for wearing the uniform, showing up, bringing their books, etc. Every six months, we have an auction of gear bought by the troop to be auctioned off and given to the boys. Lots of fun.